


he prefers bowties

by greatest_carlyle



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: 5+1 Things, A little angst, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Wedding Fluff, Weddings, a carlyle baby, a little fluff, neckties are a pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 07:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14208384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatest_carlyle/pseuds/greatest_carlyle
Summary: five times phillip couldn't tie a necktie and the one time he was able to





	1. i. the first time he couldn't

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first multi-chapter fic that i’ve posted online, and definitely a first multi-chapter for the greatest showman
> 
> leave kudos and comments!

_ i. _

The ten year old stood in front of his bedroom vanity, his untied necktie around his neck. Phillip has been trying to tie the stupid necktie for almost an hour. Frustrated as he is, he still didn’t want to ask his father for help because that would earn him a beating for being ten years old and still not knowing how to tie a simple necktie.. All was set, really, his hair, his suit, everything- except for the damned necktie.

A knock came from outside of his bedroom door. He sighed heavily and walked to the door, hoping it wasn’t his father because a lecture and a beating was something he wanted to avoid right now. Relief washed over the ten year old boy when he saw his mother standing outside his door. 

“You all set, darling?” His mother asked, he nodded quietly.

Mrs. Carlyle looked at him, checking if everything was perfect. His mother was a kind woman. Phillip knew she truly loved and cared about him. She tried to be the best mother that she could be, but his mother’s care and protection could only do so much. She still couldn’t stop her husband from beating Phillip, even when it wasn’t necessary. She would stay quiet until it’s over, and immediately rush to Phillip when her husband is out of sight. She would hug him and care for the bruises and wounds that were the aftermath of Phillip’s beating. 

“Mother, I can’t tie my tie” Phillip sighed when his mother gave him a knowing look. 

“Come,” his mother led him into his bedroom. She sat on the edge of his bed and pulled at the ends of his tie. 

“You need to learn how to tie this tie, Phillip. Your father will know eventually, and I wouldn’t always be here to help you” She said, her eyes focused on tying the tie. “No worries, you’re still young, you can still learn. But you need to learn fast” his mother said as she pulled the knot she created, tightening the it around his neck. 

Phillip smiled, grateful for his mother’s help, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He still didn’t know how to tie a tie, and his father would kill him for it, among other things.

“Come child, your father is waiting” His mother stood, reaching for his hand.


	2. ii. eighteen and still couldn't do it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> phillip turns eighteen, and he wants to become a playwright
> 
> also, he still doesn't know how to tie a damned necktie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> opened up the universe a bit ^_^  
> this came out longer than expected, the "trying to tie the necktie" in this chapter is a bit half-baked

_ii._

It was three in the morning, and Phillip couldn't sleep. He was up all night writing a new play that he had started only the day before. It was a work in progress, and like most of his works, he didn't dare perform it in front of crowds even though his mother had told him several times that he was a natural storyteller, and that his work was amazing, better than other playwrights' even. His mother had been convincing him of making his talent of writing a profession, since he proved early on that he wasn't cut out for his father's business. He'd thought about it, of course, but he always convinced himself that his work wasn't good enough.

These were the thoughts that swirled through his head, at three in the morning. He didn't even realize it was already the next day. He started writing after supper and he didn't stop to rest until now. He sighed, "Happy Birthday, Phillip" he bitterly uttered, before he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

* * *

He turns 18 today, and turning 18 meant he would be able to access the trust fund that his parents had set up for him for when he would come of age, meaning he had enough money to not work for at least one more decade, but he wasn't _that_ reckless. Today, he would convince a theatre to produce his work, that would be his birthday gift to himself- to someday see his work performed in front a real audience. The only problem now was to convince his father of the path he wanted to take since his father was so against him writing- saying it wasn't a real profession.

Phillip sat up after hours of only being half asleep, rubbing his eyes, he stood and walked to his bedroom door because someone has been knocking on it for the past half hour. He shouldn't have opened it, because as soon as the door swung open, a flood of people came rushing in, fixing his bed, setting up his breakfast on the small table in the corner of the room, hanging his clothes for the party that evening.

"What the fuck?" He said a little too loudly, "Ander, it's nine in the morning" He said, talking to the man standing in his doorway- Ander, a sixty year old man who was the head butler of the Carlyle household.

"Yes Master Phillip, and you woke up an hour later than what is planned. You only have two hours to get yourself together" Ander managed to let out a chuckle, but Phillip knew Ander was serious.

"But the party starts later tonight, I don't need to get ready for at least a few more hours" Phillip argued,

"You have to meet with your parents and your lawyers, remember? For the trust fund?" Ander reminded him making Phillip scowl "Best you eat and shower, Master Phillip. Your hairstylist will be here in a moment"

This was what Phillip hated the most about being born into a family with old money, he didn't have control over his life. A schedule was already made up for him to follow before he even knew what he needed to do. Nonetheless, he followed what Ander had told him to do. He's used to following Ander, and he doesn't hate him either. Ander was his friend, Ander was someone he knew he could trust. Ander was more of a father to him than his own father.

* * *

"There he is!" His father called out from his office doors as Phillip descended down a flight of stairs in a suit sans necktie.

"Son, come quick, we have much to discuss, and you being an hour late didn't help at all" Mr. Carlyle tried to sound as if he was teasing his son, but as soon as his father mentioned him being late, Phillip knew he would be in huge trouble behind closed doors.

"Where's your tie?" His father held his arm tightly, where a bruise that hasn't quite healed was located, making him wince.

"I'll put it on later," He whispered, yanking his arm out of his father's grip.

The lawyers, along with his mother, were already in the office. Before they could all sit down, Phillip called out their attention,

"Mother, Father, I'm going to be a playwright"

His father had his lawyers write down that Phillip may only access his trust fund at age 30.

* * *

"What are you doing in here?" Ander stood at the doorway of the wine cellar. Phillip sat against a shelf with a crooked necktie around his neck. He was mad, and furious of the show that his father put up earlier that day. No, he didn't care that his inheritance won't be accessible until age 30; he was mad because his father made a fool out of him. Degrading and pulling him down because for once, he knew what he wanted to do, and his father didn't agree. Most of all, he was disappointed in himself. His trust in himself and in his writing was gone just because his father said 'no'.

"Father drove me down here. I don't want to see him until during the party," Phillip said bitterly,

"You know, your father's control over you could only go so far. You'll always have the last word when it comes to decisions that affect you," Ander brought two shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey before sitting down next to Phillip.

He poured them both a shot, "Here" he handed the glass to the 18 year old boy, "Happy Birthday"

"Thanks, Ander" Phillip said, before downing the shot

"Let's go on up, your mother's looking for you" Ander stood, and started to walk out

"Ander?" Phillip stood, the old man faced him, "Help me with my tie? It's a little crooked"

Ander chuckled before walking back to him, untying the tie and repeating the same process he had been trying to do, "You still don't know how to tie a necktie?"

Phillip shrugged, "I prefer bowties, but father insists I wear a necktie"


	3. iii. he sticks to bowties soon after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> phillip has joined the circus, and is about to leave his childhood home.

_iii._

“You’re really leaving?” Ander inquired. He stood outside his bedroom and watched as Phillip packed up everything that he deemed necessary.

“I really could be someone in the circus, Ander. I went last night and it was thrilling. I’ve never felt that in my life, ever” Phillip said as he zipped his last bag, remembering the roller coaster that was his first night in the circus.

He was going to leave home. With the money he had, he bought a small apartment near the circus because traveling over ten miles every day would be a pain.

His parents didn’t agree of course, especially his father. His father sounded a lot like the people rallying outside during their shows, calling the performers ‘freaks’ and whatnot. He hadn’t listened to him though, Phillip was still getting used to being part of the circus but he’s already fallen madly in love with the performances, the rest would follow. Besides, it was his first official day.

“If it makes you happy, then so be it” Ander said, “But leaving your home?”

“This isn’t that much of a home anymore, Ander. I hate to leave my mother and the rest of the household but I really have to do this”

“Let me tie that necktie one last time then. And don’t forget to say goodbye to the household, and to your parents” Andeer stepped in and pulled the ends of his necktie.

“I will. Thank you”

“Your mother is waiting for you in her room. Best not to keep her waiting” Ander said as he pulled the tie, straightening it out when he was done.

“Visit the circus, okay Ander? I wouldn’t be performing but I’ll be there” Phillip looked up to the man that was more a father to him than anyone, hopeful that he would still keep in touch.

“I will, don’t worry” Ander started, turning around to leave the room before turning right back, “Don’t fuss, child. Your tie will turn crooked” they both smiled

“Also, stick to bowties if you still couldn’t get a necktie right” Ander chided, smiling before leaving Phillip in his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> probably the last we see of Ander, the head butler that I made up.


	4. iv. he was forced to wear a necktie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year after he left home, Phillip asks Anne for help with getting ready for P.T. and Charity's renewal of vows. It's been a year since he wore a necktie.

_iv._

  
“Let me get this straight. You don’t know how to tie a necktie but you can do a bowtie?” Anne asked, crossing the room to Phillip.

It had been one of the few moments where Phillip was forced to wear a necktie. P.T. and Charity were renewing their vows, but now with a whole ceremony as they weren’t able to do that when they first got married. P.T. insisted that his entourage wore neckties. He hadn’t worn one since his first day in the circus, which would be almost a year ago. Even then did he remove it an hour into wearing it because for some reason, he managed to make it crooked.

“Since I first tried putting a necktie on my own, whch by the way was when I was ten years old, I knew it would take me a miracle to put one properly, even now” Phillip stepped closer so Anne had a better view of the tie around his neck.

“Try harder, honey. It’s not that hard” Anne chuckled, focusing on tying the necktie.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you in a necktie” Anne confessed,  
“I wore one on my first actual day on the circus, but you were too busy avoiding me to notice” He teased, “But really, I took it off an hour after I had it on”

Anne rolled her eyes as she pulled one last end to straighten the tie.

“Thank you” Phillip leaned in to press a kiss on her cheek.

“Wait, step away for one second” Anne playfully chided, and so he did.

“You look rather handsome with a necktie on, Mr. Carlyle” She grinned as she closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his neck. He followed.

“I should wear this more often then” He grinned before leaning down and kissing her.


	5. v. anne liked him in a necktie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's his big day and wanting to wear a necktie gave Phillip the perfect reason to visit Anne.

_ v. _

It was a big day for the circus, more so for Anne and Phillip. So, as Anne was getting ready, as well as the Barnum girls, with the help of Charity and Lettie, a knock on the door was something they did not expect. They knew everybody was all too busy to make time and visit them, but for Phillip to stand outside of the door was a whole new level of unexpected. 

For all everyone knew, he wasn’t allowed to see Anne, let alone visit her. As Anne was doing her hair in front of her vanity, still in a silk robe, Lettie walked to the door to check who it was.

“Who is it, Lettie?” Anne asked, finishing up her hair.

Of course, Lettie didn’t want to answer that, instead she wanted to shoo Phillip off, to bring him back to his room. Lettie stepped outside to face a grinning Phillip, and closed the door behind her.

“You’re not supposed to be here, Phillip” Lettie held the door handle close, in case Phillip tried to barge in

“I just need to see her” he reasoned, “I don’t even get this bad luck non-sense!” 

“Go back to your room, Phillip. You’ll see her soon enough” Lettie started, opening the door behind her before realizing Anne was on the other side, waiting for Lettie and whoever was on the other side of the door.

“Anne!” Phillip tried his best not to push past Lettie and into Anne’s arms. She was beautiful. Her hair was in an updo, some of her curls framing her face. She barely wore makeup- only enough to accentuate her already beautiful features. 

“I told you, you can’t see her!” Lettie insisted, pulling the door to a close, but found she couldn’t because Anne was holding it back. 

“It’s alright, Lettie. Let him in” She chuckled. Anne wasn’t at all surprised that Phillip was standing outside her door. She actually expected it, looked forward to it, even.Lettie sighed, entering the room with Phillip following her. 

“Leave us alone for a minute?” Anne asked everyone in the room who were all wide-eyed with the presence of the one man who shouldn’t be in the room. Unrelentingly, they all obliged, stepping out of the room leaving an almost fully-dressed Phillip and his soon to be wife. 

“You really are stubborn, aren’t you?” Anne asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You look beautiful” Phillip grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in.

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Carlyle” Anne leaned in, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Now, why are you here?” she chuckled

“What? I can’t see my wife before our wedding?” He faked gasped, “Just came to check that you aren’t chickening out of this” 

“Give me some credit, Carlyle” Anne mocked, “You’re already dressed up, I wouldn’t want that to go to waste”

“Almost dressed up,” He foolishly grinned “Help me with my tie?”

At that, Anne tried to suppress her laughter, stepping out of his arms just enough to have a better view and hold on his wretched tie.”You know you should just give up on neckties entirely, stick to bowties” Anne pulled and tucked the ends. “I’m getting better at this than you” she snickered

“I  _ could  _ just wear bowties but a certain someone says I look ‘rather handsome’ with a necktie” He suggested, placing a hand on her chin and pulling her gaze from the tie and to his own eyes. 

Anne rolled her eyes and pulled on one more end, straightening the tie. Placing both of her hands against his chest, she started “I’d rather you not wear it, truth be told, along with the rest of your clothes”

“Now, Ms. Wheeler, we still have a wedding to attend” Phillip chuckled, a hand on her waist. 

“Yes, we do, and you need to leave now or Lettie will blow her head right off her neck” Anne smiled, pushing Phillip out the door.

 


	6. i. the one time he did

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost two decades since his first try, Phillip managed to tie a necktie without anyone's help.

It was three in the morning and Phillip was in the hallway of his home, sitting against his bedroom door. It took everything in him not to wake Anne up as he tried to sneak out of their bedroom. He couldn't sleep despite the restless and sleepless nights they have had since little Samuel came into their lives.

It's been ten days since Anne gave birth to their little boy, with skin the mixture of theirs, hair than looks a lot like it came from Anne, and eyes that were definitely his. It has been ten days since they had a proper rest. Their little boy was a handful at ten days old, but they didn't feel the exhaustion until the previous day, when little Sam finally slept peacefully. It's been four hours since they managed to make him sleep, a new record from the fifteen minute naps they have taking since Sam was born.

The moment they were sure their child was fast asleep, both Anne and Phillip rushed to their bedroom, hoping to get some sleep. Anne fell asleep as soon as she lied down, Phillip, on the other hand, was only half-asleep for an hour before he got up and out of their bedroom. There was no point in trying to sleep when he couldn't force himself to. He didn't go to his son's room either because the possibility of him waking up the child was something he didn't want to risk, especially now that Anne's found time to rest.

Instead, Phillip was against their bedroom door, holding a long piece of cloth that has haunted him for nearly two decades. It was the first thing that crossed his mind when he got up from bed: _try to learn how to properly tie a necktie_ , finally.

He shouldn't bother, truth be told, because he's resigned himself to just wearing his trusty old friend, the bowtie, but he has nothing else to do with the precious time he has for himself. And truthfully, the moment the midwife announced that their baby was a boy, he promised himself that he'd try to learn trying this wretched thing. A time will come when his son will ask him for help, and he didn't want to not be able to help his son. _Yes, this was for his son._

That, and he just can't believe that he's almost thirty years old and he still didn't know the ins and outs of a necktie. Anne teases him of it every now and then, but he was never bothered by it, not until he realized he has a son.

He has been doing it step by step, following each tuck and pull that has been taught to him when he was younger. He has been doing it properly for years now, but it always comes out crooked. Now, though, he has enough time to carefully do the steps one by one.

_Cross. In. Out. Up. Tuck. Pull down._

He repeated it over and over again, trying to perfect each know every time.

When he resigned himself to make one last knot, as he pulled down for one last time, Anne opened the door, almost stumbling with Phillip in the way.

"Phillip?" She looks like she still needs sleep, but she looks better now that she's partially rested, "Why are you on the floor? It's three in the morning"

"I couldn't sleep," He stood up.

"What's that?" Anne asked, pointing at the perfectly knotted necktie in his hands,

"I decided to try to perfect this, I've nothing better to do" He said, shrugging.

"That looks really good, Phil, but can you go back to bed? I've missed you" Anne said, hooking her arms around his neck in an embrace.

"Yeah, sure" Phillip said as he led Anne back to their bed, an arm hooked around her waist, while another still holding the tie.

"Anne?" Phillip started, "My last knot was perfect, huh?" He asked his wife, who was already half-asleep. She nodded.

"I did it for Sam. I didn't want him to think I was a bad father by not being able to tie his ties when he gets older" Phillip tucked Anne right in, before lying down.

"You're already a good father Phillip, and if ever he asks you to tie his necktie, you could always let me do it" She sleepily chuckled,

"Honestly, though, I'm proud of you" Anne embraced Phillip, burying her head in the crook of his neck

"It took you almost two decades to do it, but you did it" Anne smiled, before pulling away slightly to press a kiss against his jaw.

It took him two decades too long but he did it. His father wouldn't be proud of him, his mother probably would be but right now, he didn't care about what they'd think. He only cared about the woman in his arms right now, and the sleeping boy in the room on the other side of the hallway. Phillip smiled before he fell asleep.

The baby's cries woke them up after ten minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand that's a wrap!   
> This whole fic was inspired by the idea of Phillip asking Anne to help him tie his necktie on their wedding day. I wanted to make it a bit lengthier than that, so here's the result to that!  
> I'm currently a sucker for wedding/modern au fics, so I'll be writing one shots based on my favorite modern au tropes!  
> Leave a comment and and kudos!


End file.
